News, Views and Analysis

Sympathy for the Devil

It’s been a while since I did one of these—I thought the point had been amply made—but my friend Big City Lib has a timely post up today that once again exposes the on-going links between neo-Nazis and their conservative, Islamophobic allies.

The UK’s English Defence League is one of those wingy “makeover” organizations that attempts to leave the trappings of Nazism behind—a sound media strategy providing an on-going alibi. Why, the EDL has at least one Sikh in its ranks, and a handful of Jews and GBLTers—in separate “divisions,” of course. Its rank and file, in fact, constitute a plural marriage of convenience, also bringing together rival gangs of football toughs in a common cause.

Now we learn that the not-very-bright spokesperson for the Canadian wing of the Jewish Defence League, Meir Weinstein, is planning a “live hook up” (useful idiot Arnie Lemaire’s euphemism, not mine) with the leader of the EDL, “Tommy Robinson.”

The timing couldn’t be worse.

This past summer, “Robinson,” whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was exposed as a neo-Nazi operative. The EDL has been in an uproar for some time, riven by factional disputes, and this didn’t help.

Not all of these street-creeps have the rudimentary strategic sense that their leadership possesses, it seems. Some are not overly pleased having to work with Jews and gays. Now considerable chagrin that their top dog has been exposed is adding fuel to the mix.

My fave quote from a follow-up article: “the EDL held a series of emergency meetings and discussions, while Yaxley-Lennon went into hiding and his parents threatened to throw him out.” There may be some basis in fact for the over-used “basement Nazi” meme after all.

The EDL is apparently planning a demo in Bristol, too. They have already contacted the UK Chapter of the Jewish Defence League (based here in Bristol), inviting them to form an alliance with the EDL.

The response from the Jewish Defence League was unequivocal: not only were they “disgusted” and “revolted” to receive the request; they made it clear to the EDL that they would “stand proudly with Muslims, our fellow children of Abraham, in the fight against Muslim hatred, in defence of their mosques, family & faith”.